Trade unions in France have reportedly begun a countrywide strike to seek higher wages amid the worst inflation in decades, posing one of President Emmanuel Macron's most serious challenges since he was re-elected in May.
The protest on Tuesday is a prolongation of the weeks-long union activities that have disrupted France's key refineries and hampered the gas supply at stations. It greatly impacts public sectors such as transportation and schools.
According to operator RATP, the inner-Paris subway network should remain undisturbed, although the suburban and bus services in Paris have also been affected. Eurostar also declared that trains between London and Paris will be canceled.
The immediate effects were noted at the Gare de Lyon hub, where overcrowded suburban trains were dropping swarms of passengers onto the terminals every 15 to 20 minutes on Tuesday morning.
Beyond the transportation industry, unions want to organize workers in the food and healthcare industries.
The government’s intention to have some workers work at gas depots again to restore the flow of fuel, a step that some believe may violate the right to strike, has given trade union representatives hope that workers would become more determined.
Despite the oil corporation striking a deal with the other unions on Friday that included a 7% hike and a bonus, the CGT union has particularly called for ongoing strikes at TotalEnergies into the fourth week. Based on inflation and the company’s enormous profits, the CGT is demanding a 10% hike in wages.’
Meanwhile, strikes have already moved to other sectors of the energy sector, like the nuclear corporation EDF, where crucial maintenance operations for Europe's electrical supply will be hindered.
PM Elisabeth Borne noted that the strikes are taking place in a sensitive political environment as the French government plans to approve the 2023 budget through special constitutional powers that would enable it to avoid a parliamentary vote.
Source credit: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/18/france-begins-nationwide-strikes-copes-with-major-disruptions